Inflation valve for recreational balloon

ABSTRACT

An inflation valve for a recreational balloon includes a housing for fitting within the neck of a balloon and formed of resilient, highly stretchable material. A wall of the housing surrounds an internal compartment and a housing port extends from the compartment through the wall. A needle extends through the compartment and has a longitudinal air passage therein and a needle port extending from the air passage. The needle is movable within the compartment from a closed position in which the needle port is not aligned with the housing port to an open position in which the needle port is aligned with the housing port.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an inflation valve for a recreational toy balloon. More particularly, although not exclusively, the invention relates to a toy balloon having a captured inset valve enabling the balloon to be repeatedly inflated.

Inflated balloons made of thermoplastic rubber and other highly elastic material deflate over time as a result of the migration of gas through the stretched thermoplastic membrane across which there is a significant pressure differential. Upon deflation or partial deflation, such balloons are generally discarded.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantage and/or more generally to provide an inflation valve for a recreational balloon and a special recreational balloon incorporating such a valve.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

There is disclosed herein an inflation valve for a recreational balloon, comprising:

-   -   a housing for fitting within the neck of a balloon and formed of         resilient, highly stretchable material having a wall surrounding         an internal compartment and a housing port extending from the         compartment through the wall,     -   a needle extending through the compartment and having a         longitudinal air passage therein and a needle port extending         from the air passage, the needle movable within the compartment         from a closed position in which the needle port is not aligned         with the housing port to an open position in which the needle         port is aligned with the housing port.

Preferably, the inflation valve further comprises:

-   -   a capsule captured within the compartment of the housing and         having a cylinder therein and a capsule port aligned with the         housing port, wherein     -   the needle fits within and extends through the cylinder and         wherein in the closed position of the needle, the needle port is         not aligned with the capsule port and in the open position of         the needle, the needle port is aligned with the capsule port.

Preferably, the inflation valve further comprises a pair of said needle ports and a pair of said housing ports all mutually aligned in the open position.

Preferably, the inflation valve further comprises a pair of said needle ports, a pair of said capsule ports and a pair of said housing ports all mutually aligned in the open position.

Preferably, the housing comprises a top opening and a bottom opening both extending from the compartment and being of similar diameter to the diameter of the cylinder, both openings being stretchable over the capsule to enable insertion of the capsule in the compartment.

Preferably, the housing is made of a gelatinous composite material consisting of SEBS and mineral oil.

Preferably, the gelatinous composition to mineral oil ratio of the housing is about 1:8.

Preferably, the capsule is harder than the housing.

Preferably, the capsule is made of a gelatinous composite material consisting of SEBS and mineral oil.

Preferably, the gelatinous composition to mineral oil ratio of the capsule is about 1:8.

There is further disclosed herein a balloon made of a highly elastic material and having a neck into which the above-disclosed valve is inserted.

Preferably, the balloon is made of a gelatinous composite material consisting of SEBS and mineral oil.

Preferably, the gelatinous composition to mineral oil ratio of the balloon is about 1:3.

Preferably, the balloon and housing are made of the same material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred form of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic parts-exploded cross-sectional elevation of a recreational balloon and an inflation valve,

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional elevation of the recreational balloon and inflation valve of FIG. 1, with the inflation valve in an open configurations

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the inflation valve and balloon taken at III-III in FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the inflation valve taken at IV-IV in FIG. 2,

FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional elevation of the recreational balloon and inflation valve of FIG. 1, with the inflation valve in a closed configuration,

FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the inflation valve and balloon taken at VI-VI in FIG. 5, and

FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the inflation valve taken at VII-VII in FIG. 5.

Description of the Preferred Embodiment

In the accompanying drawings there is depicted schematically an inflatable recreational balloon 10 typically formed of a gelatinous composite material consisting of SEBS and mineral oil in a ratio of 1:8. The balloon has a frustoconical opening 23 into which there is received a housing 11. The housing 11 is also typically formed of the same material as that from which the balloon is made.

The housing 11 has a top opening 26 and a bottom opening 27. Between the openings there is a hollow compartment 20 having a pair of diametrically opposed housing ports 19 extending through a wall 28 of the housing.

The SEBS material is highly elastic and can expand to many times its relaxed size. Being formed of the same material, there is a good bond between the balloon opening 23 and the external surface of the wall 18 of the housing 11.

The compartment 20 has an annular groove 22 as depicted.

Pitted within the compartment 20 is a capsule 12 also made of SEBS material, but typically of harder consistency—having a ratio of SEBS to mineral oil of about 1:3. The capsule 12 has a flange 21 that fits into the groove 22 of the housing. The capsule also comprises a pair of diametrically opposed capsule ports 17. There is a hollow cylinder 18 extending through the capsule 12.

An inflation needle 13 extends through the cylinder 18 of the capsule 12 and is typically formed of a hard material such as polypropylene or any hard plastics material.

The inflation needle 13 has a longitudinal passage 14 and a finger gripping flange 24. A pair of diametrically opposed needle ports 15 extend from the passage 14. The needle also comprises a tapered stopper 16 as depicted.

The balloon and inflation valve are depicted in an inflation configuration in FIG. 2. In this configuration, the needle ports 15, capsule ports 17 and housing ports 19 are all aligned so that air can pass through the passage 14 to the balloon interior.

The stopper 16 prevents the inflation needle 13 from being withdrawn from the housing 11.

It should be noted that the diameter of the top and bottom openings 26 and 27 of the housing 11 are essentially of the same diameter as that of the cylinder 18. This diameter corresponds with the external diameter of the inflation needle 13.

In order to ensure that the capsule ports 17 align with the housing ports 19, the external surface of the capsule 12 and internal surface of the cavity 20 are provided with longitudinal ribs 25 that intermesh with one another.

In order to inflate the balloon, the finger grip 24 is raised to align the respective ports. The balloon can then be inflated by blowing through the passage 14. When the balloon is inflated to a desired level, the grip 24 can be pressed down so that the needle ports 15 move out of alignment with the remaining ports.

It should be appreciated that modifications and alterations obvious to those skilled in the art are not to be considered as beyond the scope of the present invention. For example, the inflation needle might be configured to rotate instead of push in and out to enable alignment of the needle ports 15 with the capsule ports 17. Furthermore, the capsule 12 might be omitted—in which case the inflation needle might be received directly by the housing 

1. An inflation valve for a recreational balloon, comprising: a housing for fitting within the neck of a balloon and formed of resilient, highly stretchable material having a wall surrounding an internal compartment and a housing port extending from the compartment through the wall, a needle extending through the compartment and having a longitudinal air passage therein and a needle port extending from the air passage, the needle movable within the compartment from a closed position in which the needle port is not aligned with the housing port to an open position in which the needle port is aligned with the housing port.
 2. The inflation valve of claim 1, further comprising: a capsule captured within the compartment of the housing and having a cylinder therein and a capsule port aligned with the housing port, wherein the needle fits within and extends through the cylinder and wherein in the closed position of the needle, the needle port is not aligned with the capsule port and in the open position of the needle, the needle port is aligned with the capsule port.
 3. The inflation valve of claim 1, comprising a pair of said needle ports and a pair of said housing ports all mutually aligned in the open position.
 4. The inflation valve of claim 2, comprising a pair of said needle ports, a pair of said capsule ports and a pair of said housing ports all mutually aligned in the open position.
 5. The inflation valve of claim 2, wherein the housing comprises a top opening and a bottom opening both extending from the compartment and being of similar diameter to the diameter of the cylinder, both openings being stretchable over the capsule to enable insertion of the capsule in the compartment.
 6. The inflation valve of claim 1, wherein the housing is made of a gelatinous composite material consisting of SEBS and mineral oil.
 7. The inflation valve of claim 6, wherein the gelatinous composition to mineral oil ratio of the housing is about 1:8.
 8. The inflation valve of claim 2, wherein the capsule is harder than the housing.
 9. The inflation valve of claim 8, wherein the capsule is made of a gelatinous composite material consisting of SEBS and mineral oil.
 10. The inflation valve of claim 9, wherein the gelatinous composition to mineral oil ratio of the capsule is about 1:3.
 11. A balloon made of a highly elastic material and having a neck into which the valve of claim 1 is inserted.
 12. The balloon of claim 11, being made of a gelatinous composite material consisting of SEBS and mineral oil.
 13. The balloon of claim 12, wherein the gelatinous composition to mineral oil ratio of the balloon is about 1:8.
 14. The balloon of claim 11, wherein the balloon and housing are made of the same material. 